state budgetNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94state budgetSun, 07 Jan 2018 08:08:17 +0000state budgethttp://wlrn.org
Jessica BakemanSouth Florida’s community college presidents are fighting a legislative proposal they argue would especially hurt low-income people and minorities — who make up the majority of their student bodies. The leaders of Miami Dade College, Broward College and Palm Beach State College — whose schools enroll about half of all community college students in Florida — are teaming up to oppose Senate Bill 540 , a chief priority of Republican Senate President Joe Negron. The 247-page bill is a resurrected and revised version of Negron’s priority higher education legislation that was vetoed last year by Gov. Rick Scott. In part to address Scott’s concerns that the bill unnecessarily punished community colleges, Negron eased some of the provisions that the schools found most problematic. Apparently the changes weren’t enough to appease the schools’ leaders, who warn it would lead to unintended consequences if enacted. “The low-income, working class people that are at our institutions sometimes … areLocal College Presidents: Poor, Minority Students 'Overlooked' in Senate Higher Ed Agendahttp://wlrn.org/post/local-college-presidents-poor-minority-students-overlooked-senate-higher-ed-agenda
102861 as http://wlrn.orgFri, 05 Jan 2018 01:16:02 +0000Local College Presidents: Poor, Minority Students 'Overlooked' in Senate Higher Ed AgendaSascha CordnerAs law enforcement agencies across Florida consider using body cameras, the state’s wildlife officers are following suit.Body Cams, Wildlife Officer Positions Among FWC's 2018 Legislative Budget Requestshttp://wlrn.org/post/body-cams-wildlife-officer-positions-among-fwcs-2018-legislative-budget-requests
101984 as http://wlrn.orgTue, 19 Dec 2017 17:17:59 +0000Body Cams, Wildlife Officer Positions Among FWC's 2018 Legislative Budget RequestsSteve BousquetGov. Rick Scott on Tuesday proposed an $87.4 billion election-year budget, in his final opportunity to set the state’s priorities before he leaves office in about 400 days. It’s by far the largest budget Scott has proposed since he took office seven years ago, and it is sure to undergo wholesale change when the annual legislative session begins on Jan. 9. “I’m going to fight every day for Florida families,” Scott said at an announcement at Northern Tool in Jacksonville. “But we cannot stop now. We have to have another good budget.” Read more from our news partners at the Miami HeraldGov. Scott Calls Budget 'Securing Florida's Future.' Critics Say It's All About Hishttp://wlrn.org/post/gov-scott-calls-budget-securing-floridas-future-critics-say-its-all-about-his
99831 as http://wlrn.orgTue, 14 Nov 2017 22:08:25 +0000Gov. Scott Calls Budget 'Securing Florida's Future.' Critics Say It's All About HisNews Service of FloridaHurricane Irma could extend her destructive reach to the next state budget. A long-range financial report, which will be reviewed Friday by the Joint Legislative Budget Commission, shows lawmakers working with only a projected $52 million surplus as they craft the 2018-19 budget early next year. It's a fiscal pittance in an overall $82 billion budget. And that surplus may shrink, if not disappear, given the state's financial history following major hurricanes. “Contrary to the oft-repeated myth that government makes money during hurricanes, state government typically has expenditures greater than the incremental increase in the revenue estimate and becomes a net loser when all expenditures are taken into account,” said the new report, known as the Long-Range Financial Outlook. The annual report, developed by the House, Senate and the Legislative Office of Economic and Demographic Research, noted an extensive fiscal review was conducted after the state was struck by a record eightHurricane Irma No Boon To State Budget http://wlrn.org/post/hurricane-irma-no-boon-state-budget
96158 as http://wlrn.orgThu, 14 Sep 2017 22:19:53 +0000Hurricane Irma No Boon To State Budget Jessica MeszarosHear the audio version of this story. UPDATED: Tuesday, June 6, 2017 at 2:20 PM Gov. Rick Scott has vetoed a part of the state budget that would’ve compensated residents in Lee and Broward Counties years after the state removed their healthy citrus trees. The 16-year battle for reimbursement continues.Gov. Scott Vetoes Reimbursement For State Demolishing Residents' Citrus Treeshttp://wlrn.org/post/gov-scott-vetoes-reimbursment-state-demolishing-residents-citrus-trees
89878 as http://wlrn.orgMon, 05 Jun 2017 20:10:41 +0000Gov. Scott Vetoes Reimbursement For State Demolishing Residents' Citrus TreesTom HudsonWith three weeks left before the end of the regularly scheduled legislative session, the two chambers of the Florida Legislature are about $4 billion apart in their spending plans. While the gap is closing, the fundamental position of the top budget lawmaker in the House is to shrink state spending. "Our priority in the House was to limit the size of government," said Appropriations Committee Chairman Carlos Trujillo, R-Doral. The House-approved measure does that by cutting total state government spending by $1.1 billion below this year's budget. It is more than $2 billion less than Gov. Rick Scott's proposed spending plan and $4 billion under the Senate-approved measure. The ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Coral Springs, voted for the House budget. But he noted that "if the budget comes back to us because [Gov. Scott vetoes it] because we don't adequately fund some of the things he's looking for, the override runs through the DemocraticThe Budget Battle In The Sunshine Economyhttp://wlrn.org/post/budget-battle-sunshine-economy-0
86720 as http://wlrn.orgTue, 18 Apr 2017 16:57:58 +0000The Budget Battle In The Sunshine EconomyKate SteinFlorida Gov. Rick Scott was in Miami on Wednesday to tout the $10 billion in transportation spending he’s included in his proposed budget for 2017-2018. The governor spoke at PortMiami surrounded by dozens of orange-vested workers -- some of the more than 200-thousand employees he said the port supports. "It’s a big job generator, finishing the dredge, finishing the tunnel," Scott said. "All the investments we continue to make... it all pays off for more jobs for everybody standing up here and all their families." Scott said he’d like to allocate about $19 million to PortMiami for crane and cargo improvements. And he wants about $178 million for ports statewide, which he said support about 900,000 jobs. Florida lawmakers will start work on the state budget when the legislative session opens next month.Gov. Scott Offers $10 Billion For Transportation, Ports In Proposed Budgethttp://wlrn.org/post/gov-scott-offers-10-billion-transportation-ports-proposed-budget
82589 as http://wlrn.orgWed, 08 Feb 2017 17:22:18 +0000Gov. Scott Offers $10 Billion For Transportation, Ports In Proposed BudgetTom HudsonAs the 2017 state legislative session approaches, lawmakers and Gov. Rick Scott already have been talking about their shopping lists of new ideas about how to spend taxpayers' money. There’s a laundry list of big issues legislators will need to address during their session: the death penalty, concealed carry, gambling. But there is no larger issue than the budget. It’s an $82 billion-plus document that dictates how the state spends money. And this year, as lawmakers make decisions about the next fiscal year beginning in July, it’s expected they will not have the financial wiggle room they’ve enjoyed since the Great Recession ended. While the Florida economy is doing OK, state revenues are forecast to increase only about $1.2 billion. Yes, it’s a lot of money, but not in the scope of Florida’s annual state spending plan. It represents the smallest annual percentage increase in Florida state government’s revenues since 2012. Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater calls it a “realSunshine Economy: Florida's Financeshttp://wlrn.org/post/sunshine-economy-floridas-finances
81027 as http://wlrn.orgMon, 16 Jan 2017 14:41:26 +0000Sunshine Economy: Florida's FinancesTom HudsonThe Florida economy may be humming along, but there is a budget problem looming for state lawmakers. In about a year and a half, the state is forecast to see a $1 billion difference between what it collects in taxes and fees and what it spends.That is a $1.3 billion budget hole. Legislators will start tackling the anticipated budget shortfall in their next session before the red ink starts. WLRN spoke with the top Republican and top Democrat on the Florida House Appropriations Committee, Carlos Trujillo and Jared Moskowitz, about state spending priorities, including health care, education, tourism and economic development. THE BUDGET Trujillo: If you look at it in actual dollar amounts, it's only a $7 million surplus for this fiscal year. If you look at the Fiscal Year 2017-18 it's a $1.6 billion deficit. So we are heading into a mini-recession here in Florida. We have a great revenue stream in Florida. We really have a spending problem. Part of our mission and our task for the nextThe Sunshine Economy: How The State Spends Your Moneyhttp://wlrn.org/post/sunshine-economy-how-state-spends-your-money
79537 as http://wlrn.orgWed, 21 Dec 2016 19:25:06 +0000The Sunshine Economy: How The State Spends Your MoneyNancy KlingenerThe Florida Keys rely on the state for help with big-ticket environmental projects like central sewers and buying land . The island chain is an Area of Critical State Concern and is under a state mandate to clean up nearshore waters by replacing septic systems and cesspits. The state promised $200 million toward that effort in 2007. Keys officials were hoping for another $50 million in aid from the state this year. Instead, they got nothing. "When all is said and done, the Keys will have spent over $900 million dollars, that's almost a billion dollars, to sewer the Keys," said Monroe County Commissioner Heather Carruthers . "So we could really use some funds from the state to help offset that expense since there's only 70-some-thousand of us down here." Carruthers and other Keys officials say Monroe deserves the extra help because the central sewer systems were ordered by the state. The same goes for strict limits on development along the environmentally fragile islands — with only oneKeys Officials Disappointed Clean-Up Money Cut From State Budgethttp://wlrn.org/post/keys-officials-disappointed-clean-money-cut-state-budget
52057 as http://wlrn.orgWed, 24 Jun 2015 19:31:05 +0000Keys Officials Disappointed Clean-Up Money Cut From State BudgetGina JordanThe regular session of the Florida Legislature came to an abrupt end in late April as the House disagreed with the Senate over Medicaid expansion . The Senate wants to use federal dollars for expansion, while the House and Gov . Rick Scott want no expansion. Lawmakers returned to Tallahassee last week for a special session to finish work on their one required duty: creating a state budget that goes into effect July 1 . Things seemed to be going smoothly, until this happened: “This is a backtracking unprecedented in my memory up here on any conference committee I’ve ever been involved in,” said an angry Sen. Jack Latvala (R-Clearwater), who chairs the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Tourism, and Economic Development. Latvala was upset with his budget counterpart in the House, Rep. Clay Ingram (R-Pensacola), because the House had suddenly and without explanation proposed higher funding for business incentives than the chambers had been discussing. “To get sideswipedWhat's Behind The Republican Clash In The Florida Legislaturehttp://wlrn.org/post/whats-behind-republican-clash-florida-legislature
51370 as http://wlrn.orgWed, 10 Jun 2015 18:44:00 +0000What's Behind The Republican Clash In The Florida LegislatureGina JordanThe Florida Supreme Court has sided with the House of Representatives in a lawsuit filed by Florida Senate Democrats. The House left Tallahassee three days before the scheduled end of session because no agreement could be reached on a budget. Democrats in the Senate wanted the court to force House members back to Tallahassee for more session work, but the court denied the motion. Florida Senate President Andy Gardiner (R-Orlando) released this statement following the ruling: “While the writ of mandamus was denied because the court could not impose a practical remedy prior to midnight tonight , a majority of the court agreed with the Senate position that the House violated the constitution. This provides important guidance to future presiding officers. “The Senate was ready and prepared to continue working to complete the business of the state regardless of the outcome of today’s ruling. Cooperation and collaboration between the chambers should not require a court order.” The HouseFlorida Supreme Court Sides With House In Session Departurehttp://wlrn.org/post/florida-supreme-court-sides-house-session-departure
49509 as http://wlrn.orgSat, 02 May 2015 13:43:08 +0000Florida Supreme Court Sides With House In Session DepartureRick StoneFor a lot of Florida voters and a lot of environmentalists, one of the big disappointments of this chaotic legislative session is the apparent fate of Amendment 1. That's the ballot initiative that makes three-quarters of a billion dollars available every year to buy and protect sensitive lands. But it's a shopping trip the Legislature doesn't feel like making. A constitutional amendment is just a broad statement of purpose. How it works in real life is determined by the Legislature. In this case, Amendment 1 set aside about $750 million dollars a year for land purchases from a state tax on real estate transactions. As budget talks began, amendment sponsors knew there would be special interests to appease. They were prepared for legislative chicanery that would misappropriate part of the money to existing expenses under some environmental pretense. All of that was built into their projections, which supposedly were a productive of legislative savvy and Tallahassee wisdom. AlikiLegislators 'Thwarted The Will Of The Voters' On Amendment 1, Backers Sayhttp://wlrn.org/post/legislators-thwarted-will-voters-amendment-1-backers-say
49205 as http://wlrn.orgSun, 26 Apr 2015 23:48:57 +0000Legislators 'Thwarted The Will Of The Voters' On Amendment 1, Backers SayStefania FerroThis week on the Florida Roundup, we discuss the week's news with the area's top journalists. LEGISLATIVE SESSION A bill that permits gun owners to carry weapons during evacuations is moving along in the Florida Senate. School choice bills would permit parents to transfer their children to any school as long as it had seats available. House and Senate lawmakers released their first budget proposals that are about $4 billion apart. FORT LAUDERDALE POLICE Three Fort Lauderdale police officers were fired and another resigned when an internal investigation found racist comments via text messages and a video. Now the FBI's civil rights division is looking into the investigation , and cases that involved the officers are under review. ULTRA The three-day music festival taking over Bayfront Park has made changes in its 17th year to be a safer event. For the first time, only adults (18+) are permitted to enter. A bigger police presence and reinforced fences are in place to deter potential gateFlorida Roundup: Fort Lauderdale Police's Zero Tolerance For Racismhttp://wlrn.org/post/florida-roundup-fort-lauderdale-polices-zero-tolerance-racism
47660 as http://wlrn.orgFri, 27 Mar 2015 13:04:15 +0000Florida Roundup: Fort Lauderdale Police's Zero Tolerance For RacismJohn O'ConnorSchool districts would have to share local school construction and maintenance money with charter schools, according to an amendment filed by an influential state senator. Sen. Don Gaetz, former Senate president, filed the amendment Tuesday . The amendment would require half of the money raised by an optional local property tax to be split between charter and traditional schools on a per-student basis. Studies have found publicly funded but privately run charter schools typically receive less money per student than traditional public schools. A good piece of the difference in Florida is the local construction money — which few school districts share with charter schools. Earmarking a source of construction funding has been a top priority of charter schools for years . Charter schools argue their parents are taxpayers too, so public money should pay for charter school construction and maintenance. Every year school districts and charter schools fight over a dwindling pool ofAmendment Would Give Charter Schools A Share Of School Construction Moneyhttp://wlrn.org/post/amendment-would-give-charter-schools-share-school-construction-money
46927 as http://wlrn.orgMon, 16 Mar 2015 14:10:54 +0000Amendment Would Give Charter Schools A Share Of School Construction MoneyGina JordanFlorida voters will decide whether environmental preservation becomes part of the state Constitution. Amendment 1 is a citizens’ initiative born from nearly a million petition signatures. The amendment would set aside a percentage of revenue from real estate fees to pay for water and land conservation for the next 20 years. While critics say anything that impacts the state budget should not be in the Constitution, c ampaign manager Will Abberger says citizens took action because the Legislature hasn’t done enough to fund conservation efforts. “Amendment One draws on an existing revenue source that’s been the historic source of funding for water and land conservation for decades," Abberger says. "The Legislature diverted those funds, and what Amendment One will do is restore them and give them constitutional protection.” The amendment will be funded by revenue from documentary stamp taxes, known as doc stamps. The doc stamp fee is paid every time real estate is sold in Florida. RevenueOn Environmental Funding In Florida's Constitution, Support Not Partisanhttp://wlrn.org/post/environmental-funding-floridas-constitution-support-not-partisan
40494 as http://wlrn.orgThu, 30 Oct 2014 22:21:25 +0000On Environmental Funding In Florida's Constitution, Support Not PartisanGina JordanMiami-Dade County is eligible for more money than any other county in the state budget -- $1.8 billion. That makes the county more susceptible to budget vetoes before the budget goes into effect in July. The Florida Legislature handed Gov. Rick Scott a record election-year budget of $77.1 billion. Scott has the final say over the budget and can cut funding for programs at will. Miami-Dade has more line items in the budget than any other county, b ut all of them could be slashed with the veto pen. The funding covers transportation, water projects and schools. There’s also money for cultural amenities and community services. The projects include $10 million for the planned SkyRise Miami tower , $137 million for extra lanes on the Turnpike in Homestead , and $20,000 for the non-profit arts group Cannonball Miami . Broward County has the second-highest number of line items in the budget (145), but it’s not among the top five counties for funding. Broward is eligible for $786 million fromMiami-Dade Has Most To Lose In State Budgethttp://wlrn.org/post/miami-dade-has-most-lose-state-budget
33072 as http://wlrn.orgThu, 29 May 2014 18:51:36 +0000Miami-Dade Has Most To Lose In State BudgetGina JordanThe Actors' Playhouse executive director Barbara Stein says most of the Coral Gables theater's paid performers are from South Florida. “We hire some people out of New York, too, but our goal is to hire as many capable and qualified for each production Florida based actors that we can,” Stein says. The Playhouse sits on a historic site where an old movie house was converted into a performing arts center. It became the catalyst for Coral Gables’ downtown redevelopment. Now, it’s eligible for a $150,000 cultural affairs grant from the state. Stein says the money will help produce shows with cultural significance, like the musical "Ragtime." “One of the cultures represented in the show is the early black-American culture,” Stein says. “The show’s being presented not only to the general public, but to school performances during Black History Month.” The Florida Legislature approved over $43 million in the next state budget just for the arts. That’s almost a fourfold increase from theFlorida Arts Programs Get Highest Funding Ever From Lawmakershttp://wlrn.org/post/florida-arts-programs-get-highest-funding-ever-lawmakers
32829 as http://wlrn.orgTue, 27 May 2014 22:18:24 +0000Florida Arts Programs Get Highest Funding Ever From LawmakersGina JordanMarch 4 marks the start of the 2014 Florida Legislative session at the Capitol. It runs through May 2 . For two months, lawmakers will consider proposed legislation on everything from marijuana to red-light cameras. All they really have to do is come up with a spending plan for the fiscal year that begins in July. Gov. Rick Scott is recommending half a billion dollars in tax and fee cuts. “The biggest piece of our tax cut budget is a tax cut of more than $400-million by eliminating the 2009 annual motor vehicle increases,” Scott told reporters at the Capitol in late January. Scott’s tax cut package includes two sales tax holidays. If approved, Floridians will get ten days of tax-free back to school shopping and a fifteen-day sales tax break on hurricane-related items . Scott says families will save more than $82 million on hurricane and school supplies. Tampa Bay Times Tallahassee Bureau Chief Steve Bousquet sat down to talk about a few of the biggest policy issues for lawmakers,Session Preview: Tax Cuts And Rosy Budget Outlook In An Election Yearhttp://wlrn.org/post/session-preview-tax-cuts-and-rosy-budget-outlook-election-year
28681 as http://wlrn.orgTue, 04 Mar 2014 00:00:41 +0000Session Preview: Tax Cuts And Rosy Budget Outlook In An Election YearGina JordanFlorida TaxWatch , a nonprofit government watchdog group, is out with its annual list of ways the state can cut costs and be more efficient -- without cutting services. The report, called Modern Management & Sensible Savings , found $1.2 billion that could potentially be returned to state coffers. Lawmakers could act on the recommendations when they convene for the annual legislative session next spring. "Each recommendation contains a solution that our state's elected leaders can act upon to help the Sunshine State better serve its customers, who are ultimately Florida taxpayers," said Florida TaxWatch president and CEO Dominic Calabro . "This will help improve the bond rating long-term, which will save us more money. It will also allow us to provide tax cuts but also fully fund education." The report highlights six recommendations: Replace the Florida Accounting Information Resource (FLAIR) with a modern accounting and financial reporting system. FLAIR is antiquated. "It's 30Government Watchdog Finds $1 Billion In Savings For Florida Taxpayershttp://wlrn.org/post/government-watchdog-finds-1-billion-savings-florida-taxpayers
23267 as http://wlrn.orgWed, 06 Nov 2013 21:06:53 +0000Government Watchdog Finds $1 Billion In Savings For Florida Taxpayers